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Watermelon Poke Bowls

These plant-based bowls bring summer to your table with watermelon poke, creamy wasabi-tamari dressing and all the fixins’!

Poke, poke, everywhere! While trendsetters swear poke (pronounced “POH-keh”) is the next generation of sushi, this Hawaiian staple has been around for centuries. If you’ve ever been to the Aloha State, chances are you’ve seen poke bowls (traditionally made with ahi tuna) served up just about everywhere. From roadside stands to neighborhood gas stations, poke is Hawaii’s fast-casual, healthy food.

These craveablewatermelon poke bowls are no exception. They riff off the traditional and offer a plant-based version made with summery watermelon. Isn’t is interesting how watermelon and tuna share the same hue?

Swapping out traditional poke for sweet, juicy, sesame-tamari marinated watermelon brings summer right to your table. Base-layers can be modified to suit your needs, but these watermelon poke bowls are kept fresh and clean with garden-grown salad greens (instead of rice). And then there’s the toppings, oh the toppings! There’s so many to choose from.

These watermelon poke bowls feature a plethora, including maple tamari roasted nuts, scallions, cucumbers, watermelon radish, and pickled ginger. (To name a few!) But feel free to mix up this recipe based on whatever toppings you love. These poke bowls are finished off with a creamy wasabi-tamaridressing. Drizzle a little (or a lot) on top. It’s quite delicious and the wasabi adds a healthy kick.

Sometimes a dish is so good, you savor every last bite. This is one of those dishes. Watermelon poke bowls are perfect for days when putting something fresh on the table is a must, but you don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. These make-ahead bowls can be pulled together in a cinch or simply thrown together as a nutritious meal.

Instructions

Place all dressing ingredients in a small food processor (except for wasabi paste a mayo) and whirl away for a few seconds.

Pour half of the dressing into a medium-sized bowl and add the cubed watermelon. Lightly mix to coat. Move the bowl to the refrigerator and let the watermelon poke marinate for about 10 minutes (the longer the watermelon marinates the better).

Add wasabi paste and mayo to the remaining half of the dressing. Using the food processor, whirl away until dressing is smooth and creamy. The dressing will have the consistency of a vinaigrette.